NAILBA Membership Renewals: Return before March 31!
Membership renewal packets were mailed last fall to all NAILBA member agency principals. Each company must complete the renewal paperwork annually to confirm eligibility for membership in NAILBA. Renewals returned after March 31, 2011 may incur a late fee.

Your renewal packet also includes a printout of your database listing, for your edits. Please be sure to return the edited database listing along with your completed renewal application* and dues payment* at your earliest convenience.

If you have not received your membership renewal packet, or you have questions about your agency’s renewal, please contact NAILBA at 703.383.3081 or membership@nailba.org.

*Please note: the dues amount invoiced has changed from previous years – please be sure to refer to the invoice for correct payment information. Additionally, all questions on the form must be completed for your dues renewal to be complete.

Executive Forum: Register and Make Hotel Reservations NOW!
Register now for the Executive Forum to be held on May 19, 2011! This event, now in its third year, offers one day programming to help agency principals develop their networking, strategic thinking, management and leadership skills.

Our keynote this year will be presented by futurist Jim Crupi, who will discuss The Future of Business: What You Need to Know to Position Your Business For Continued Success. Crupi will examine the forces at work in the world now (economy, technology, political, etc) and how they will shape the future. He'll discuss the implications for your business, the long and short term impacts you can expect, and help you focus your attention in the areas that will help you be more successful.

In addition to the Keynote Presentation, the 2011 Executive Forum includes a pre-conference Reception (on Wednesday evening), State of the Industry Panel, Strategic Coaching, Executive Learning Workshops, and more! Cost of registration is $199 for NAILBA members. Register online here or complete and return this registration form via fax or mail.  

The Executive Forum will be at the Fairmont Turnberry Isle in Miami, Florida. To make hotel reservations at the NAILBA discounted rate of $199, please call the Fairmont directly at (866) 840-8069 and reference the NAILBA Executive Forum, or make your reservations online here.  Deadline for reservations is Monday, April 18, 2011.

For more information, visit the Executive Forum page of our web site, or contact Michele Liston at 703.383.3069 or mliston@nailba.org.

Legislative Update
On Wednesday, February 23 Alex DelPizzo and Mark Valentini of NAILBA’s Government Affairs Team conducted several staff-level meetings with key members of the House Financial Services Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The purpose of these meetings was to continue strengthening NAILBA’s relationships with Committee members and staff while making our case against a uniform standard of care for brokers and advisors.

NAILBA has two factors working against us in regards to the standard of care issue:

• Last month, SEC staff officially recommended the Commission proceed with a rulemaking imposing a uniform standard of care for brokers and dealers that is at least as stringent as the standard to which investment advisors abide.
• The Obama administration has proposed a $300 million increase in SEC funding.

NAILBA has several factors working in its favor:

• There is movement by key House Financial Services Committee members to reexamine the merits of the issue of uniform standards of care.  We do expect oversight on this and other issues impacting the SEC’s implementation of The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (also known as Dodd-Frank).
• The SEC will likely remain understaffed and lack the budget to fully implement Dodd-Frank reforms.
• NAILBA and industry partners enjoy significant support on the Standard of Care issue from several Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee.

Mark and Alex will return to Capitol Hill in the coming weeks to continue to solicit support from Members of Congress on this issue and will keep NAILBA members updated on the situation.

Questions? Contact Mark Valentini, Manager of Government Affairs at mvalentini@nailba.org or 703.383.3073.

Special Offer from MDRT Exclusively for NAILBA  Members
NAILBA is pleased to announce a very special offer in conjunction with MDRT. This offer is designed to increase value for the producer who represents the future of our industry.

MDRT has identified the needs of up-and-coming stars in the financial services field and determined that many of these producers are associated with independent distribution channels, such as brokerage general agencies. To attract these up-and-comers and meet their needs, MDRT has created GROWTH SUMMIT 2011 — a special event on the front end of its Annual Meeting in Atlanta (June 5-6).

NAILBA members are being offered a special incentive to participate in GROWTH SUMMIT 2011 and can attend FREE if you recruit a minimum of five qualified producers to accompany you to the event. Invited financial advisors and/or insurance professionals should meet the following criteria: Non-MDRT members, 45 or younger and earn annual commissions of $150,000 or greater. See below for incentive packages:

SPECIAL OFFER:

Package A
Growth Summit Only (June 5-6)
(BGA + 5 or more registrants)

• BGA Special Guest complimentary registration for Growth Summit
• Growth Summit price for registrants of the BGA: $295 (normally $395)

Package B
Growth Summit with Annual Meeting (June 5-8)
(BGA + 3 or more registrants)

• BGA Special Guest complimentary registration for Growth Summit and Annual Meeting
• Growth Summit and Annual Meeting price for registrants of the BGA: $595 (normally $695)
• BGA gets a Special Guest Orientation to get the most out of the conferences
• Discount coupons for merchandise at the Power Center (books, tapes, content, etc.)
• Access to MDRT Ambassadors to attend/speak at dinners or meetings BGAs hold with registrants

Note: BGAs are responsible for their own travel and lodging expenses and, at their own discretion, may pay for part or all of attendees’ expenses

Click here for a PDF with details about GROWTH SUMMIT 2011 that you should send to the qualified producers you would like to invite to the event. For more information or to register, visit www.thegrowthsummit.org/NAILBA.

To get your free registration, please make sure you indicate that you are a BGA when prompted on the registration website. Your guests must indicate that they were referred by a BGA in order to get the discount. If you have any questions, contact Len Gold at lgold@mdrt.org or call (847) 993-4917.

We hope you participate in this exciting offer from NAILBA and MDRT and help to strengthen the future of our industry!

Life Brokerage Technology Committee: An Update and an Invitation to Participate
The Life Brokerage Technology Committee (or LBTC) was created to provide an open forum for vetting potential solutions to the technological and operational inefficiencies of the life brokerage industry.  Members include BGAs, carriers and vendors who come together to find the best solutions to the issues raised by - and to provide maximum benefit for - the LBTC participants.

Participants do not need a technology background.  All that is needed is an understanding of life insurance brokerage and a desire to make our business easier and more cost-effective.

There are two ways to get more information online:

1)         Yahoo Groups – “LifeBrokerageTechCommittee” – this site provides information, announcements, and a document repository for the LBTC working groups

2)         LinkedIn Groups – “Life Brokerage Technology Committee” – this site provides an alternative source of information and announcements; while documents are not available here, LinkedIn has proven less troublesome for those members who have trouble accessing the Yahoo Group due to restrictions in their companies’ internet policies

Membership in the LBTC can be requested from either site.  Membership approval - as well as access to both sites - can be authorized upon completion and submission of an LBTC membership application.  Questions can be directed to the LBTC leadership:

2010-2011 (current) Co-Chairs
Bob Harding (Mutual of Omaha) – bob.harding@mutualofomaha.com
Ken Leibow (EBIX) – ken.leibow@ebix.com
Joann Mattson (Four Seasons Financial Group) – jmattson@fsfginc.com

2011-2012 Co-Chairs
Chris Chartrand (Genworth) – Christopher.chartrand@genworth.com
Dana Grove (iPipeline) – dgrove@ipipeline.com
Matt Boddicker (TNBC) – mboddicker@tnbc.com

LBTC SUBCOMMITTEES
Our active subcommittees/working groups (along with their 2010-2011 chairs) currently include:

•  Imaging (Chair – Mike Bridges, PaperClip)
• Commissions (Chair – Shawn Crumley, iPipeline)
• eSignature (Chair – Nathan Brown, Lincoln Financial Group)
• ePolicy Delivery (Chair – Matt Boddicker, TNBC)

These groups typically meet monthly or every other month via 1-hour web conferences.   The time commitment is not large, but the benefits can be huge to your bottom line.

We look forward to your input and participation!

Advertiser/Exhibitor/Sponsor Corner
Executive Forum Sponsorships
Nine of 12 possible Executive Learning Workshop sponsorship opportunities have been sold. This opportunity will sell out - don’t wait to decide to purchase this intimate 15 minute workshop-style opportunity. This is your best chance to meet and greet top executives from our member agencies for one on one discussion time during the scheduled Executive Forum program.  Click here for complete sponsor information for Executive Forum. 

NAILBA 30 Exhibit Booth Sales
The exhibit hall is currently over 70% sold out.  Contracts are being accepted on a first contracted, first sold basis and prime locations are STILL available. Don’t delay making the commitment to exhibit at the 30th annual NAILBA convention.   Click here for the current NAILBA 30 floor plan for exhibit location options. 

Sponsorship Opportunities
Current opportunities for NAILBA 30 are still available so don’t delay if you have thought about purchasing a breakfast, lunch or other sponsorship item to enhance your branding at the 30th annual NAILBA event. Package opportunities are available to tie into your current marketing efforts.   Click here for NAILBA 30 sponsorship opportunities.

Promotional Opportunities Guide
All exhibitors and sponsors were provided with a print version of our consolidated 2011 Promotional Opportunities Guide. Our next event - the 2011 Executive Forum program on May 19 - will provide outstanding sponsorship opportunities, and focuses on a target audience of agency principals and senior management. The sponsorship opportunities for this event were flagged (page 14) for your immediate review and attention – commit now while the best opportunities for maximum visibility are still available! Important: Executive Learning Workshops are selling quickly and are limited in availability – if this is an area you are interested in, you must respond quickly! View the Promotional Opportunities Guide online by clicking here.

As always, we are willing and eager to work with you to customize a sponsorship/advertising/exhibit package that maximizes your brand exposure and ensures that your support of the independent wholesale brokerage community is clear and unquestionable.

Advertising
The print advertising deadline for May/June is next Thursday, March 10. For more information about this or any other issue, including theme, artwork deadline and more, check page 29 of the Promotional Opportunities guide. Download the full Guide and complete the Advertising Order Form (page 33) to confirm your placement in May/June.

Discounts are available for bundled opportunities- combine print and online options for more bang for your buck!

Please contact Susan Haning at shaning@nailba.org or 703.383.3068 to discuss any sponsorship, advertising or exhibit question.